SIR,

FROM MRS. PENDARVES.

LONDON, APRIL 22, 1736.

I AM sorry you make use of so many good arguments for not coming to Bath. I was in hopes, you might be prevailed with. And though one of my strongest reasons for wishing you there, was the deşire I had of seeing you, I assure you the consideration of your health took place of it. I have heard since I received the favour of your last letter, that you have been much out of order. I believe we sympathised, for I was very ill with a feverish disorder and cough for a month, which obliged me to defer answering your letter till I came to town. I left the Bath last Sunday sennight, very full and gay. I think Bath a more comfortable place to live in than London; all the entertainments of the place lie in a small compass, and you are at your liberty to partake of them, or let them alone, just as it suits your humour. This town is grown to such an enormous size, that above have the day must be spent in the streets, going from one place to another. I like it every year less and less. I was grieved at parting with Mrs. Barber. I left her pretty well. I had more pleasure in her conversation than from any thing I met with at the Bath. My sister has found the good effect of your kind wishes. She is very much recovered, and in town with me at present; but leaves me in a fortnight to go to my mother.

When I went out of town last autumn, the reigning madness was Farinelli*: I find it now turned

* A celebrated Italian singer. H.

on

on "Pasquin," a dramatic satire on the times *. It has had almost as long a run as the Beggar's Opera; but, in my opinion, not with equal merit, though it has humour. Monstrous preparations are making for the royal wedding. Pearl, gold and silver, embroidered on gold and silver tissues. I am too poor and too dull to make on among the fine multitude. The newspapers say, my lord Carteret's youngest daughter is to have the duke of Bedford+. I hear nothing of it from the family; but think it not unlikely. The duke of Marlborough and his grandmother are upon bad terms. The duke of Bedford, who has also been ill treated by her, has offered the duke of Marlborough to supply him with ten thousand pounds a year, if he will go to law and torment the old dowager. The duke of Chandos's marriage has made a great noise; and the poor duchess is often reproached with her being bred up in Bur street, Wapping §.

Mrs. Donnellan, I am afraid, is so well treated in Ireland, that I must despair of seeing her here: and how or when I shall be able to come to her, I cannot

* This was written by Henry Fielding, esq.; and was a rehearsal of a comedy and a tragedy; the comedy was called "The Election," and the tragedy," The Life and Death of Queen Common Sense." This and some other dramatick satires, by the same author, levelled against the administration of the late lord Orford, produced an act of parliament for licensing the stage, and limiting the number of playhouses, which was passed in 1737. H.

+ Of Frederick, prince of Wales. H.

His grace married miss Gower, daughter of the lord Gower

by his first wife, on the 1st of April 1737. H.

§ She was lady Daval, widow of sir Thomas Daval, and had. a fortune of 40,000).

H.

yet

yet determine. She is so good to me in her letters, as always to mention you.

I hope I shall hear from you soon: you owe me that pleasure, for the concern I was under when I heard you were ill. I am, sir, your faithful and obliged humble servant,

M. PENDARVES.

I beg my compliments to all friends that remember me, but particularly to Dr. Delany.

TO MR. POPE.

DUBLIN, APRIL 22, 1736.

My common illness is of that kind which utterly disqualifies me for all conversation; I mean my deafness; and indeed it is that only which discourages me from all thoughts of going to England; because I am never sure that it may not return in a week. If it were a good honest gout, I could catch an interval to take a voyage, and in a warm lodging get an easy chair, and be able to hear and roar among my friends.

As to what you say of your letters, since you have many years of life more than I, my resolution is to direct my executors to send you all your letters, well sealed and packetted, along with some legacies mentioned in my will, and leave them entirely to your disposal: those things are all tied up, endorsed and locked in a cabinet, and I have not one servant who can properly be said to write or read: no mor

tal

tal shall copy them, but you shall surely have them, when I am no more.

I have a little repined at my being hitherto slipped by you in your epistles; not from any other ambition than the title of a friend, and in that sense I expect you shall perform your promise, if your health, and leisure, and inclination will permit. I deny your losing on the side of poetry; I could reason against you a little from experience; you are, and will be some years to come, at the age* when invention still keeps its ground, and judgment is at full maturity; but your subjects are much more difficult when confined to verse. I am amazed to see you exhaust the whole science of morality in so masterly a manner. Sir W. Temple said, that the loss of friends was a tax upon long life: it need not be very long, since you have had so great a share; but I have not above one left: and in this country I have only a few general companions of good nature, and middling understandings. How should I know Cheselden? On your side, men of fame start up and die before we here (at least I) know any thing of the matter. I am a little comforted with what you say of Lord Bolingbroke's genius still keeping up, and preparing to appear by effects worthy of the author, and useful to the world.---Common reports have made me very uneasy about your neighbour Mr. Pulteney. It is affirmed that he

* Pope was at this time in his 48th year, and Swift in his 69th. BOWLES.

† Of whom Pope afterwards wrote,

"He foams a Patriot, to subside a Peer

which exactly happened; for Pulteney was created lord Bath, after Pope's severe Satire, intituled "1740," was written. BowLES.

hath

hath been very near death: I love him for being a patriot in most corrupted times, and highly esteem his excellent understanding. Nothing but the perverse nature of my disorders, as I have above described them, and which are absolute disqualifications for converse, could hinder me from waiting on you at Twitenham, and nursing you to Paris. In short my ailments amount to a prohibition ; although I am as you describe yourself, what I must call well; yet I have not spirits left to ride out, which (excepting walking) was my only diversion. And I must expect to decline every month, like one who lives upon his principal sum which must lessen every day and indeed I am likewise literally almost in the same case, while every body owes me, and nobody pays me. Instead of a young race of patriots on your side, which gives me some glimpse of joy, here we have the direct contrary; a race of young dunçes and atheists, or old villains and monsters, whereof four fifths are more wicked and stupid than Chartres. Your wants are so few, that you need not be rich to supply them; and my wants are so many, that a king's seven millions of guineas would not support me.

:

TO DR. SHERIDAN *.

APRIL 24, 1736.

I HAVE been very ill for these two months past. with giddiness and deafness, which lasted me till about ten days ago, when I gradually recovered, but

The paragraphs in Italics were written by Mrs, Whiteway. H.

still

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